Updated

10/27/2013 - 7:45pm

Israel's first BrainTech conference in Tel Aviv is aimed at making Israel a neuroscience products center. One tactic: It awarded a $1 million prize and a bronze brain to a Brown University team using brain waves to move artificial limbs.

The drumbeat for action against Syria has grown louder, with Syria promising to strike back at Israel if it's attacked by the west. But in Israel, the government is saying it will strike back hard if Syria strikes -- and it's pushing for western airstrikes because of what it sees as the bigger picture.

Israel's prime minister is warning that his country will strike back if Syria attacks the Jewish state. The threat comes after two and a half years of official Israeli silence on Syria's civil war. The Syrian regime responded with a threat of its own.

President Obama's first overseas trip of his second term will include stops in Israel, the West Bank and Jordan. The administration says Iran, Syria and the long-stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process are on the agenda.

Israelis were buoyed to receive a letter seeming to be from Egypt's President Mohammed Morsi, expressing his wish for security in the Middle East and a resumption of the Middle East process. Egyptian officials, though, say the letter isn't real. But Israelis have their doubts about that claim.

Israeli President Shimon Peres; He's been in Israeli politics for more than half a century. Turns out, that whole time, he's also been writing poems. And some of those poems have now been set to music. Daniel Estrin has today's Global Hit.

Israeli President Shimon Peres; He's been in Israeli politics for more than half a century. Turns out, that whole time, he's also been writing poems. And some of those poems have now been set to music. Daniel Estrin has today's Global Hit.

President Obama's first overseas trip of his second term will include stops in Israel, the West Bank and Jordan. The administration says Iran, Syria and the long-stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process are on the agenda.

Israelis were buoyed to receive a letter seeming to be from Egypt's President Mohammed Morsi, expressing his wish for security in the Middle East and a resumption of the Middle East process. Egyptian officials, though, say the letter isn't real. But Israelis have their doubts about that claim.

Israel's prime minister is warning that his country will strike back if Syria attacks the Jewish state. The threat comes after two and a half years of official Israeli silence on Syria's civil war. The Syrian regime responded with a threat of its own.

The drumbeat for action against Syria has grown louder, with Syria promising to strike back at Israel if it's attacked by the west. But in Israel, the government is saying it will strike back hard if Syria strikes -- and it's pushing for western airstrikes because of what it sees as the bigger picture.

Updated

10/27/2013 - 7:45pm

Israel's first BrainTech conference in Tel Aviv is aimed at making Israel a neuroscience products center. One tactic: It awarded a $1 million prize and a bronze brain to a Brown University team using brain waves to move artificial limbs.

Updated

10/27/2013 - 7:45pm

Israel's first BrainTech conference in Tel Aviv is aimed at making Israel a neuroscience products center. One tactic: It awarded a $1 million prize and a bronze brain to a Brown University team using brain waves to move artificial limbs.

Israeli President Shimon Peres; He's been in Israeli politics for more than half a century. Turns out, that whole time, he's also been writing poems. And some of those poems have now been set to music. Daniel Estrin has today's Global Hit.

President Obama's first overseas trip of his second term will include stops in Israel, the West Bank and Jordan. The administration says Iran, Syria and the long-stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process are on the agenda.

Israelis were buoyed to receive a letter seeming to be from Egypt's President Mohammed Morsi, expressing his wish for security in the Middle East and a resumption of the Middle East process. Egyptian officials, though, say the letter isn't real. But Israelis have their doubts about that claim.

Israel's prime minister is warning that his country will strike back if Syria attacks the Jewish state. The threat comes after two and a half years of official Israeli silence on Syria's civil war. The Syrian regime responded with a threat of its own.

The drumbeat for action against Syria has grown louder, with Syria promising to strike back at Israel if it's attacked by the west. But in Israel, the government is saying it will strike back hard if Syria strikes -- and it's pushing for western airstrikes because of what it sees as the bigger picture.